1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for managing asynchronous object transfers over multiple networks that have different communication protocols. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for managing incoming object transfers by temporarily storing each incoming object in temporary storage for presentation to a user who accepts or rejects the received objects.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular telephones, and laptop computers are becoming increasingly popular and have capabilities that make them indispensable tools rather than conveniences. PDAs, for example, allow a user to store a wide range of data including address data, calendar data, and contact data in a device that is easy to carry and convenient to use. With a PDA, a user can receive emails, write memos, create to do lists, and the like with relative ease.
Another advantage of devices like PDAs is that a user can share data stored on their PDA with the PDA of another user. This is typically accomplished using an infrared (IR) port that is usually provided with each device. To share data over an IR port, the user that is sharing an object will select or identify the object to be shared and the user receiving the selected object will enable their device to receive an incoming object transfer. Then, the users place their devices in a manner that permits their respective IR ports to “see” each other. The user sending the object then sends the selected object to the other user over the IR connection. When the object transfer is complete, the connection is automatically terminated and the object has been successfully transferred to the other user's device where it is processed and stored.
These types of connections present relatively little security risk to either user because an IR connection requires that the two devices be able to “see” each other. Because of this limitation on IR object transfer, the users will also be able to see and identify each other. For at least these reasons, it is very difficult for a malicious user to transfer an object to a particular user's device without the user knowing that an object has been transferred to their device.
The advent of technologies that do not require a line of sight, however, introduces security risks that were not previously present. Bluetooth, for example, can transfer files over longer distances and through barriers such as walls using radio links. Bluetooth also permits a device to process more than one incoming object transfer at a time. If a user has configured their device to receive incoming object transfers (often referred to as beams), it is possible that an unwanted object could be received on the user's device, thus placing the user's data at risk. A malicious user, for example, could transfer a virus onto the user's device that could cause the user's data to be broadcast back to the malicious user or otherwise affect the user's data and/or the user's device. What is needed are systems and methods that permit a user to manage incoming object transfers or beams and that provide additional security to the user for the data on their device.